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No charges to be filed in 104-car pileup on I-25

A few of the 104 vehicles involved in the Saturday, March 1 pileup in the northbound lanes of Interstate 25. (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post)

Three cars lost control on an icy stretch of Interstate 25 on the morning of March 1, then a tractor-trailer jackknifed and smashed into them. What followed was 50 to 200 collisions contributing to one of the largest pileups in Denver history.

On Friday, the Denver Police Department briefed the media on the ongoing investigation into the 104-car pileup on I-25 between Logan Street and University Boulevard that left a woman from Oklahoma dead and hospitalized 30 others.

Farr said the Denver District Attorney's Office will not file charges in the case, adding that it has been difficult to pinpoint who started the initial crash. However, those who may have been driving with a suspended license could be cited.

He said some of the drivers admitted they may have been traveling faster than the posted 60 mph. The conditions that morning changed so quickly that by the time police came to the scene, the roads were merely wet.

"Do we cite 103 people for driving too fast for conditions?" Farr said.

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Detective Stephanie Linkus said one motorist tried to avoid the tractor-trailer by steering into a retaining wall along the highway. Traffic volume was normal that morning, police said.

Witnesses said that although they could see brake lights on vehicles, the roads were too icy to stop.

It was not clear when the final report on the crashes will be released. Police said they have yet to identify five or six drivers and are asking anyone involved in the pileup to call Denver police at 720-337-1000.

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